Bizarre Jailbreak Plot Foiled: Minnesota Man Posed as FBI Agent to Free Accused CEO Killer
Federal authorities in Brooklyn have unraveled a clumsy jailbreak attempt after a man from Minnesota posed as an FBI agent in a bid to free a high-profile inmate awaiting trial for murder.
Mark Anderson, 36, was charged Thursday with impersonating a federal officer. The criminal complaint details how Anderson entered the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, claiming to possess court-ordered release paperwork for a specific prisoner. Law enforcement sources confirm the intended beneficiary was Luigi Mangione, 27, who is being held without bail for the December 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Anderson, who works at a New York City pizzeria, saw his ruse collapse when Bureau of Prisons staff requested identification. He presented a Minnesota driver's license and then, according to the complaint, "threw at the BOP officers numerous documents." He also claimed to have weapons in his bag, which upon inspection contained a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter.
The failed plot has landed Anderson in the same facility as Mangione, with a court appearance scheduled for later this week. The incident casts a renewed spotlight on the intense and sometimes fringe public fascination surrounding Mangione's case.
Background & Case Significance
Mangione is accused of ambushing Thompson, 50, on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk. Arrested a day later in Pennsylvania, he was found with a firearm forensically linked to the killing. Prosecutors allege he left a rambling manifesto decrying health insurance companies as "parasitic," fueling a narrative that has attracted a fervent online following. "Free Luigi" hashtags and social media campaigns painting him as a modern Robin Hood have proliferated, with his defense team facilitating gift and mail delivery to him in custody.
His legal battle is at a critical juncture. A judge is set to rule on the admissibility of key evidence from his backpack, seized without a warrant. Simultaneously, his lawyers are challenging pre-indictment calls for the death penalty by public officials, arguing they have poisoned the prospect of a fair trial. Mangione has pleaded not guilty.
Reactions & Commentary
"This isn't just foolish, it's dangerous," said Michael Rhodes, a former federal prosecutor now teaching criminal law. "It highlights the very real security challenges detention centers face, especially when an inmate becomes a cause célèbre. It forces a reassessment of verification protocols."
"It reads like a bad movie plot, but it shows how deeply this Mangione story has resonated with some people," noted social researcher Dr. Anya Sharma. "The online mythology transforming an accused murderer into a folk hero creates a feedback loop that can inspire reckless acts."
"Are you kidding me? A pizza cutter and a fork? This guy watched too many cartoons," said retired corrections officer Frank Delgado, reacting with scorn. "But it's not funny. This stunt wasted resources and could have escalated. It also disrespects the victim, Brian Thompson, whose family is still seeking justice."
"The system is clearly terrified of what Luigi represents," argued college student and "Free Luigi" supporter Chloe Bennett, emotionally. "They're holding him without bail on trumped-up charges because he challenged a corrupt corporate giant. This botched attempt just proves how desperate people are to see him freed. The whole thing is a setup."